Foot operable playing attachment for pianos



May 28, 1935. c. J. wu ggm FOOT OPERABLE PLAYING ATTACHMENT FOR PIANOS Filed July 12, l954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 EMMA;

May 28, 1935. c. J. WILSON FOOT OPERABLE PLAYING ATTACHMENT FOR PIANOS Fi1ed- July 12, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 3mm W Z760,

May 28, 1935.

FOOT OPERABLE PLAYING ATTACHMENT FOR PIANOS Filed July 12, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 (J J Wizsam Patented May 28, 1935 PATENT OFFICE FOOT OPERABLE PLAYING ATTACHMENT FOR PIANOS Carrol J. Wilson, Jonesboro, Tex. Application July 12, 1934, Serial No. 734,833

Claims.

This invention relates to an attachment to enable the playing of a piano by means of the feet of the operator leaving his hands free for playing another musical instrument such as a 5 violin. Thus the operator may simultaneously play two or more instruments, one of which is a piano.

Another object is to provide a novel construction having keys or parts for example, to take care of three octaves of the bass and treble on the'keyboard of the piano.

It is also aimed to provide a construction in which depression of the pedal will sound chords in the combined tone of three octaves, an effect which the hand operation of a piano cannot accomplish.

The more specific objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the description following taken in connection with accompanying drawings illustrating an operative embodiment.

In said drawings:

' Figure Us a view in vertical transverse section through the attachment;

' Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view showing the connection between one of the rocker bars and the slide;

'Figure 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view showing the connection between one of the key-' operating fingers and the cooperating slide;

Figure 4 is an elevation of the attachment, partly broken away, looking from the left in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail view showing the connection between one of the shorter slides and its cooperating lever;

Figure 6 is a detail sectional View taken on the line 6-45 of Figure 1;

Figure '7 is an elevation of one of the longer lifters;

Figure 8 is a detail section taken on 8-8 of Figure 2;

' Figure 9 is a, detail section taken on the line Figure 10 is a detail section taken on the line Ill-l0 of Figure 1, and

Figure 11 is a detail sectional view taken on theline I|-|| of Figure 4. 7

Referring specifically to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like or similar parts in the different views, the apparatus is built in the form of an attachment for a piano and has a suitable housing or casing H] which may vary in form and size according to the particular piano with which it is used and which the line also may be made adjustable in order to accurately fit the same. The keyboard of the conventional piano, as suggested at H in dotted lines, is received within or extends into the space I2 of the frame or housing ID. The top wall l3 of the housing [0 is preferably hinged in place at I4 so that it may be opened to inspect the interior part.

An upright rectangular frame [5 has a series of horizontally disposed rocker bars l6 journaled therein by means of trunnions ll. Said rocker bars correspond to treble keys of the piano, and other rocker bars I8 corresponding to the bass keys of the piano are journaled in the frame by means of t unnions l9.

Rocking of the bars I6 and I8 causes projections 2| and 22, extending therefrom and into notches 23 and 24 of vertical slides 25 to lift such slides 25 and accordingly tilt key-striking fingers 26 so that their free ends will strike,

preferably through the medium of rubber or felt buttons 21', the keys l2 of the piano. Said fingers 26 are levers pivotally mounted as at 21, on a rod disposed across the housing ID, with suitable spacing means 28, arranged between the fingers. Said fingers project into notches 29 of the slides 25 which notches are lined with felt or the equivalent at 36 to avoid noise. Noise is also avoided in the notches 24 by a lining 3| of felt or equivalent material. The bars l6 are normally maintained in a horizontal position by means of contractile coil springs 32 connected to the projections 2i and 22, and to the frame IS.

The attachment includes a pedal 34 adapted to operate the fingers for the bass keys of the piano and a pedal 35 to operate the treble keys of the piano. Said pedals 34 and 35 are similar, each being mounted in the position shown in Figure 6, by a relatively strong coil spring 36 connected thereto and to a supporting bracket 37. A strap or stirrup 38 is provided adjacent the forward end of each pedal 34 and 35, and on the lower side of the point of each pedal is a rubber or felt button or cushion 39. The left foot of the operator is adapted for engagement in the pedal 34 and the right foot of the operator is adapted for engagement in the pedal 35, the spring mounting of the pedal enabling them to move both forwardly and rearwardly, and to the right and left according to the motion of the operators feet and to the extent limited by stops at 40, 4| and 42. The buttons 39 of the pedals 34 and 35, according to the motion of the operators feet, are selectively engageable with series of depressible levers 43, pivoted on a rod 44 extending across the frame or housing l and maintains a noiseless contact by felt or the like as at 15.

Bolts 45 are connected to the levers 43 and their heads have flexible connections in metallic caps 38 carried at the lower end of vertical,

slides 59, which caps are preferably filled with felt, rubber or the like, as shown,

Each bar it and I8 has a rearward projection 52 thereon, which extends flexibly into a cap 54! at the upper end of the adjacent slide 49, such cap being filled with felt, rubber or the like 53 to avoid noise and undue lost motion.

The device may be used in connection with any conventional or standard piano or special piano, and for example the slides 25 and bars 16 and i8 and associated parts correspond to'the notes of the scale, as indicated thereon, andasis true of the keys of the piano with which the device is used. Each rocker bar i8 is connected with but one of the slides 25 while each rocker bar iii is connected'with three different slides, so that the actuation of each rocker bar I6 results in the rendition of a chord.

As a result of the construction described, the operation of the pedal M by the left foot selectively causes operation of any of the ,basskeys of the piano through the depression of pedal 3.4, lever 43, slide 39, rocking of a bar 16, lifting of a slide 25, and lowering of a finger 26 at the keyengaging element 2?, return of the parts to normal position, being attained by theassociated spring 32, r

Operationby the right handrpedal 35 effects depression of the associated lever 43,,slide G9 associated therewith, the rocking of a bar 16, and elevation of three slides 25, with depression of three of the fingers 26 at the elementsll to strike three treble keys of the piano and thus sound a chord.

I have shown and described the device as adapted for playing a single octave in the bass register and a single octave and relatedotones harmonizing therewith in the treble register.

It will beapparent, however, that without altering the spirit of the invention one or, more octaves or fractions thereof may be added to either or both of the registers by lengthening the bars l6 and i8 and adding additional slides and related parts for operation by the bars l6 and i8.

Various changes may be resorted to provided they fall within the spirit and scopev of the invention.

I claimas my invention:-

1. A device of the class described for use in connection with a piano, the device having fingers to strike the base keys of the piano and fingers to strike the treble keys of the'piano, means to operate the treble fingers individually, means connected to operate a plurality of the fingers simultaneouslyto play a chord, rocker bars, connections from the rocker bars to said fingers; pedal means to operate each rocker bar of the second mentioned fingers individually, connections from each of the first mentioned rocker bars to a plurality ofeach of the first mentioned fingers for the playing of chords, and pedal means operable to individually actuate said first mentioned rocker bars. 7

2. A device of the class described for use in connection with a piano, the device having fingers to strike the base keys of the piano and fingers to strike the treble keys of the piano, means to operate the treble fingers individually, means connected to operate a plurality of the fingers simultaneously to play a chord, rocker bars, connections from the rocker bars to said fingers, pedal means to operate each rocker bar of the second mentioned fingers individually, connections from each of the first mentioned rocker bars to a plurality of each of the first mentioned fingers for the playing of chords, pedal means operable to individually actuate said first mentioned rocker bars,'said' pedalmeans including depressible levers, connections from the levers to the rocker bars, pedals movable over the levers, and means mounting the pedals for'substantially universal movement to actuate the levers.

3. A device" of the class described having a 7 the rocker bars for the treble keys individually,

operative connections between each rocker bar for the base keys and a plurality of said base keys, a slide connected to each rocker bar, a depressible lever with which each of the last mentioned slides is operatively connected, a pedal, depressible against each lever associated with the base keys, a pedal depressible against each lever associated with the treble keys, 1 and means mounting said pedals for movement on substantially a vertical axis. V

- 4. A device of the class described having a frame, fingers pivoted in the frame operable to strike base keys and treble keys of a piano, means pivotally mounting said fingers, slides operatively connected to the fingers, rocker bars in the frame, operative connections between the rocker bars for the treble keys individually, operative connections between each rocker bar for the base keys and a plurality of said'base keys, aslide connected to each rocker bar, a depressible lever with which each of the last mentioned slides is operatively connected, a pedal depressible against each lever associated with the base keys, a pedal depressible against each lever associated with the treble keys,- and means mounting said pedals for movement on substantially a vertical axis comprising springs, said springs also permitting sliding movement of said pedal.

5. A device'of the class described having a frame, fingers pivoted in the frame operable to strike base keys and treble keys of a piano, means pivotally mounting said fingers, slides operatively connected to the fingers, rocker bars in the frame, operative connections between the:

rocker bars for the treble keys individually, operative connections between each rocker bar for the base keys and a plurality of said base' keys, 2. slideconnected to each rocker bar, a depressible lever with which each of the last'mentioned slides is operatively connected, a pedal depressible against each lever associated with the base keys, a pedal depressible against each lever associated with the treble keys, means mounting said pedals for movement on substantially a vertical axis, means to normally maintain the fingers raised away from the piano keys, and the frame having an opening whereby the keyboard of a piano isaccommodated.

CARROL J. WILSON. 

